Tank-car vent.



A. w. ELKINS.

TANK CAR VENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1913.

1,205,443. Y Patented Nov. 21, Q.

INVENTUR AHH/Ul? W. ELK/N5 WITNESSES the frangible lead disk type which are prof vided with closures adapted to be removed UNITED STATES. *PATENT OTTTGE `ARTHUR, W. ELKINs, or'nas'r ORANGE, NEW amasar, AssIeNoR To' GENERAL i CHEMICAIYGOMPANY, OF NEW YQO'RZIKQ 1\'l.`V Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK; i

yTANK-GAR VENT.

New Jerse have invented certain new and y useful Improvements in Tank-Car ,-Vcnts,

of whichthe following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to 'ventsv for tank cai-s Vand similar vessels, especially such vessels as are adapted to contain liquid Chem.-

ical products, for example, sulfuric acid, and more particularly relates to ventspof when it is desired to withdraw the liquid contents of the vessel.

An object of my inventionV istto provide a vent which is so constructedas to allow the escape of gases or vapors under pressure inVY the vessel or-tank -when the cap is only tion.

Another object is to provide such a construction that; the escaping matter will issue in such a direction as not to come into con- 'tact with the workman removing the cap.

' Other objects will be pointed out or will otherwise appear in the following description of the embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a tank car vent embodying the features of my invention, the cap being in closed position, F ig. 2 is a similar view, the cap being in partially removed position and the upper portion of the cap being broken away, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the vent nipple showing the pressure escape'passages.

In the drawings the reference character l indicates a tank car provided in its top with a screw threaded aperture 2 into which is screwed the nipple 3. When properly positioned the nippleis held in position by means of a suitable nut lock such asthe locking plug 4. The upper end of the nipple is also screw threaded for the reception of the vent cap, a portion of which Yis internally screw threaded to coperate with said nipple screw threads. The cap is preferably composed of upper and lower hollow members 5 and 5 respectively which are secured together in any suitable` manner, as by bolts 6. Between the adjacent faces of these inembers a frangible lead disk or diaphragm 7 SpecicationiofV Letters Patent. Patented NOV, 21 Appii'cation med aune c, 1913. serial No. 772,048'.

partially removed from its closed `posi-V is held. Incase an excessive 'pressure develops in the tank, such pressure acting upon the under face of the disk will wardly and nally rupture it. The vapors then enter into the hollow upper member 5l and escape therefrom in a downward di'- rection through the orices Si The peripheral portions of the diskl are held iin-V movablebetween the members `and 5', the extent of'tliemovable central portions thereto the disk. The edge of metal surrounding force it up- Ve5 d o f being defined by the diameter of the hollow space of the upper member in proximity this space `is `rounded off, as at- 9, so that" there is a minimum of cutting eect at saidV edge 9 when the central portion vof the disk is forcedl upwardly. v Moreover, a washer l0;

ofufasbestos or lsimilarV inateral is .placedl above the immovable periphery of the disk, between said portion andthe `Vclamping surfaceofthe upper member, to cushionthe disk and thus also thereof by the edge 9.

prevent undue cutting The nipple 3 is provided with one or more longitudinal grooves ll which cut across the upper screw threadsV and extend from Vvthe upper end of the nipple to a point part way across the screw threaded portion. VThe cap member 5 is provided with an internal flange l2 the under surface of which is adapted to fit tightly against the upper end of the` lnV such nipple when Vin closed position. position the fluid under pressure in the tank and in the nipple below the lead diaphragm is preventedfrom entrance into the grooves l1. As soon as the cap has been unscrewed Y slightly, however, the pressure is admitted, Vas will be readily understood, to said grooves. unscrewed and has reached substantially the position shown in Fig. 2 the lower ends of the grooves are placed in communication Wvhen the cap has been further with the atmosphere. The gases or vapors,

v and the particles Yof liquid which are apt to Y be carried with them, are thus allowed to' escape from the tank through the grooves before the cap is fully removed. The pressure is -released in a generally downward direction so that the Yvapors do not come intol contact with-the person removing the cap.l

.It will'be readily seen that the construction prevents injury of any kind such asthat which would-be caused by the discharge of vaporsof, for eXample, sulfuric acid, carrying with them particles of liquid acid, upon tricVr the person of the workman. The downward discharge is enhanced by the provision of a depending flange 12, the inner diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of the nipple 3.

A collar 13 working in an annular slot in the cap and a chain 14 attached at its ends to the collar and to the tank may be provided for the purpose of preventing the loss of the cap when removed from the nipple.

It will, of course, be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a tank, a nipple in communication therewith, a closing cap for said nipple, said cap and said nipple being provided with cooperating screw threads whereby said two members are joined together, one of said members being'provided with a passage extending longitudinally from one end thereof to said screw threaded joint at a point intermediate the ends of said joint.

2. In combination, a nipple and a cap screw threaded thereon, said cap being provided with a portion adapted to contact Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of :Patentsr member being in communication with theV atmosphere and said lower member being )rovided with an annular flanOe ada )ted to 1 contact with the end of said nipple when lin closed position, said nipple being provided with an exterior groove deeper than thedepth of the screw threads on said nipple and extending from the end'of said nipple to a point intermediate of the ends of the screw threaded portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR'IV. ELKINS. IVitnesses T. LYNTON BRIGGs, J oHN A. FERGUSON.

Washington, D. C. 

